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We signed up to do a night tour of the Bali Zoo, which included animal interaction, tour, dinner and a show. It was pretty neat to see the zoo after hours. It was quiet as there were no other guests but the group. Upon arrival, we received welcome drinks and had the opportunity to take pictures with a boa, 2 chimpanzees and an owl. We learned a bit about the animals and how they came to the zoo.

After the welcome event, we were then able to meet Terry the Sumatran elephant. We were able to feed him. He was a picky with certain types of food and would just toss it aside if he wanted something else. Nevertheless, he was still sweet. (I love elephants :D)

Next, we proceeded on the tour. Seeing a zoo at night feels very different than in the day. A different perspective for sure. Some animals were more lively, others more quiet. Our tour ended outside of the lion’s are where 3 snoozing lions slept. We then proceeded to our dinner buffet and settled in for a fire show.

The fire show’s story and dance were done very well by all of the talented performers. We truly enjoyed it. The way in which the performers moved was mesmerizing – something I definitely couldn’t do. As the show came to an end, so did our events of that night. We took a group picture with the dancers and then made our way back to our hotel for the night.

… When I dressed up in a kimono and walked around for a couple of hours. Loved the experience, so many layers! The socks weren’t the most comfortable and the shoes were a little difficult, but I’d do it again! I’m really looking forward to visiting Japan again in the future. I can’t believe it’s been about a year and a half already! ﻿

After Mount Batur, we headed to a few temples. Each location required us to wear sarongs to cover our legs. Our tour guide told us a bit about temples and offering and their significance to the Baliense people. Majority of people practice Hinduism. There are 3 types of temples – a family temple, a village temple and a public temple. Above is a picture from a public temple, which is typically dedicated to all gods. It’s large, and many people come to visit and pray.

Above is a village temple. Every village has about 3 of these temples – they are meant for the people of that village. The three Gods per temple would usually be Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

The above picture is from a family temple, which is within the home of a Baliense family. This particular temple was set in a traditional Baliense home (which were were lucky to visit, explore and experience). Family temples are for worshipping God and ancestors.

Following our Ubud stop, we ventured on to Mount Batur. We had a really clear day when we visited. We were lucky to have lunch at a restaurant that overlooked this amazing volcano. Oddly, this was the first day in Bali I actually felt chilly. The altitude change really made a difference. The view include Mount Batur, a lake and then an even larger, active volcano. It was a pretty spectacular view.

Ubud is quite a wonderful place to see. With its mix of markets filled with arts and culture, it’s a vibrant area that shouldn’t be missed. There is also a Sacred Monkey Forest! When walking through this area, you come across so many different monkeys. They are playful, but mischievous – so you have to make sure you bags are closed!

Through the tour of Ubud, we had a chance to stop by a rice paddy field and a coffee plantation. The rice fields were something I’ve never seen before. They were impressive, beautiful even. The coffee plantation was informative – we had a tray of various samples to taste-test, including the famous lewak coffee! It’s definitely unique… If you can get past the idea of how it’s made, it’s worth a try!

Absolutely breathtaking. Our first excursion out in Bali was to a Kecak Dance at Uluwatu Temple. It was unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. But it was an incredible experience in a beautiful setting. The performers dance while singing “ke-cak” throughout. They acted out a story out of the Hindu scriptures. It was just mesmerizing. And there were so many people of different cultures there experiencing it all together.

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Truly something we recommend doing if you visit Bali. After the show ended, we enjoyed a seafood dinner on the beach. Definitely a worthwhile night.